Recently I've been having a lot of worry on my mind and I think I'm making myself sick.

And when I worry a lot, I suddenly feel my throat tighten and it feels like it's just at the opening on my throat. Then I feel the need to keep taking huge deep breaths, some of which don't feel satisfying. I get scared even more and that's when it leads to light-headness that doesn't go away for a good while unless I sleep for a few hours. I'm not sure what's going on but honestly, it's scary.

I hear my family has a history of depression/anxiety...

Should I bring up this subject when I go to the doctors? I really hate the light-headed feeling and it only happens when I get those odd episodes.

Recently I've been having a lot of worry on my mind and I think I'm making myself sick.

And when I worry a lot, I suddenly feel my throat tighten and it feels like it's just at the opening on my throat. Then I feel the need to keep taking huge deep breaths, some of which don't feel satisfying. I get scared even more and that's when it leads to light-headness that doesn't go away for a good while unless I sleep for a few hours. I'm not sure what's going on but honestly, it's scary.

I hear my family has a history of depression/anxiety...

Should I bring up this subject when I go to the doctors? I really hate the light-headed feeling and it only happens when I get those odd episodes.

It doesn't sound like you've had a panic attack unless you get all the other symptoms with it but what it sounds like is your having great anxiety or panic symptoms that could easily lead to a panic attack. Learn to take deep breathes in around your navel, inhaling slowly and exhaling slowly, not concentrating on it too much and go slow with it, rome wasn't built in a day. Also, try not to get into your body symptoms too much for they will cause adrenaline over adrenaline reaction and you will definitley have a panic attack. In therapy, we learn not too pay too much attention to our body symptoms unless you are suffering from trauma, and again, this should not be tackled without a therapist at hand. When the mind begins to race, go get a piece of paper and begin to write down, let the pencil or pen run free, write down everything that comes to mind and keep writing for about 10-20 minutes, this will take the pressure off the mind racing. You can read it back to yourself, keep it or discard it, your choice. If you haven't had blood work on thyroid, CBC, etc. you might want to arrange that with your doctor just to rule out all other possiblities that can cause anxiety. Also, don't get hung up on it, if your doc says you're fine, then you're fine, otherwise you will be like me and many others here going to the doctor for every little pain, ache and jitter. It took me along time to accept that I have PTSD and not some dying illness. I'm not saying that if something else pops up, you shouldn't have it checked out, you should, cause you just never know, but allow yourself to accept anxiety and you will be more peaceful. Try to take your negative thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts. It's are what ifs that make us panic. In Post Traumatic STress Disorder, we have experienced real danger, so therefore this is even harder to tell yourself you have nothing to fear when you know it can and has existed. But life does move on and just because it happened once or twice, it still can happen, but without being paranoid, you move on, you work on it, it's hard work, but you keep working on it until you free your mind and body from the slavery of panic. Hope this helps. There are many groups you can join for anxiety and panic attacks. They are so much easier to find than PTSD group therapy. good luck. Also, the dizziness can be caused by anxiety, something you're not processing or still running from perhaps. Also hyperventiliation can cause dizziness and air hunger. If need be, breathe into a paper bag but tell yourself you can't die from anxiety.

Andrea

Last edited by ainfante; 08-28-2004 at 09:22 AM.
Reason: left out something